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Alexa frowned as Lord Stanton mumbled an apology and carved a purposeful path through the crowded dance floor as if the devil was on his trail.
‘Allow me,’ the Prince said, taking her into his arms and holding her much closer than Lord Stanton had done.
It took her only a moment to realise that he’d done that deliberately, and that there was probably no paternity test in the works at all.
‘Was any of that true?’
‘Not a word.’
Alexa didn’t know whether to laugh or frown at his candour. ‘That wasn’t very nice. I think you really scared poor Lord Stanton.’
‘Only because it’s happened to poor Lord Stanton before.’
‘It has?’ She blinked at him. ‘How do you know that? Is he a friend of yours?’
‘I know everything. But no, he isn’t a friend. Not even close.’
‘He’s not going to be happy when he finds out you lied.’
‘Probably not.’ The Prince raised an eyebrow as if to say he couldn’t care less, his gaze skimming her face. ‘But first things first. That soft accent I can hear in your voice isn’t French, is it?’
‘No.’
‘Good.’ Before she could think too much about his question he manoeuvred her closer, distracting her. ‘Now I can just enjoy how good you feel in my arms.’
Incredibly aware of the warm male chest mere inches from hers, Alexa’s breath caught. One of his hard thighs was pressed ever so slightly between her legs, keeping her slightly off balance, so that she had to grip onto his hand to stay upright. Aware that she’d never felt such a powerful response to anyone like this before, she automatically drew back, her reaction causing a slow masculine grin to curve his lips. ‘Too fast for you?’
‘I…’ Completely unprepared to be meeting him like this, let alone be plastered up against his hard body, Alexa frowned. ‘Yes. I don’t like being crowded.’
Truth be told, she wasn’t used to being touched like this. Her father had never been overly tactile and, as her mother had died giving birth to her, she’d been raised by a procession of nannies, each one leaving before she or Sol could become attached to them. It had been her father’s way of training any neediness out of them, his methods intended to instil in them both a sense of objectivity and distance befitting a monarch of their realm.
She still remembered the day her beloved Mrs Halstead had left. At five, Alexa had cried herself into a stupor, thus proving her father’s point. After a while she had stopped crying when people left but, given the mistake she’d made with Stefano, the lesson in objectivity had taken much longer to master. And sometimes she worried that she still hadn’t got it. Especially now, when she was struggling to remain objective in this man’s arms.
‘By all means I can do slow,’ he said with a grin, his mesmerising eyes flicking over her with sensual intent.
Even though she had dressed to attract attention she was so unused to men flirting with her it took Alexa a moment to assimilate his meaning. When she did, heat curved up the side of her neck. She hadn’t fully worked out what she was going to say to him when they finally met so she found herself at a loss for words. It was only her love for her country, and a desire to placate her father, that had her still considering going ahead with her plan.
Because ordinarily she wouldn’t go near a man like the Prince. And not just because of his bad boy reputation but because he was too big and too male—his level of testosterone swamping her and making her way too aware of him. It was like being confronted by an enormous, sated wolf; even though you knew it was well fed you still couldn’t relax in its presence for fear that it might pounce just for the fun of it.
The orchestra music changed tempo and she realised that the Prince danced very well, his movements fluid and graceful as he moved her in time with the beat. Wondering how to gain control of the situation and suggest a place for them to sit down and talk, she was completely unprepared for his enticing all-male scent to swamp her as he leaned in closer.
‘You’re exceptionally beautiful,’ he murmured, bringing her left hand up to his lips in one smooth move, smiling against her fingertips. ‘And unmarried. Two of my favourite attributes in a woman.’
His earlier question about her being French came back to her and she pulled back to stare up at him.
Did he not know who she was?
She’d received so many sympathetic glances during the night from those who knew her to be the jilted Princess of Berenia that her teeth had wanted to grind together.
For him not to recognise her… It didn’t seem possible but…perhaps it was. After all, he’d been off doing his own thing for a decade now, where her life had remained incredibly small by comparison. A bolt of inspiration shot through her. If he didn’t know who she was it would give her a chance to find out how amenable he would be to her plan without having to embarrass herself by asking outright.
His eyes watched her, confident and direct. Sapphire blue surrounded by inky black lashes, they drew her in with the promise of delights she had probably never even dreamed of, drew her in as if he could read every one of her secret wishes and desires and had the power to answer them all. The notion was both terrifying and utterly irresistible.
The prince’s heavy-lidded gaze held an amused glint as if he knew exactly how he was affecting her. Only she didn’t plan to become one of his worshippers so it was best to set the scene early.
‘Are you always this direct?’ she asked, meeting fire with fire.
‘I’m not one to waste time on trivialities.’ His fingers brushed the inside of her wrist, sending an unexpected trail of goosebumps along her arm. She fought off another tremor as she thought about what those fingers would feel like stroking other, more intimate, parts of her body. ‘State what you want and go after it has always been my motto.’
She didn’t doubt it.
But ever since her brother had died her life had been mapped out for her and stripped of any real choice so she rarely, if ever, stated what she wanted, or went after it.
He swung her in a tight circle, the hand at the base of her spine covering the small of her back. ‘It hasn’t failed me yet.’ The smile he gave her was one hundred per cent lupine in nature. ‘I hope it’s not about to.’
‘Are you propositioning me?’
The words were out before she could stop them and she only just managed to stop herself from cringing. No doubt none of the sophisticated beauties he was frequently photographed with would need to ask such a gauche question.
Even white teeth were revealed by a frankly amused smile. ‘I do believe I am.’
‘But you don’t even know me.’
‘I don’t need to know you to know that I want you.’ His tone lowered to a sexual purr. ‘But if names make you feel more at ease I am Prince Rafaele al-Hadrid. Rafe to my intimates, Rafa to my family.’
‘I know who you are,’ she said, blinking hard to defuse the sensual spell he was effortlessly weaving around her. ‘And I also know of your reputation.’
His smile widened. ‘Which one?’
Not sure how to handle the fact that he seemed completely unperturbed by her revelation, Alexa pushed on with her plan to gain information about him. ‘The one that says that you’re not marriage material.’
‘Very true,’ he drawled. ‘I am good at many things but being a husband would not be one of them. And I believe in playing to my strengths.’
So did she. ‘Why wouldn’t you be a good husband?’
‘According to many of the women I’ve seen, I’m emotionally stunted, closed off from genuine affection, afraid of true intimacy and utterly selfish.’ His eyes twinkled down at her with amusement. ‘I did take exception to the “closed off from genuine affection” comment as I happen to think I’m very affectionate when the mood strikes.’
‘I’m sure she was way off base.’ Alexa laughed despite herself.
‘I’m glad you agree.’ He grinned charmingly. ‘But you haven’t introduced yourself,’ he reminded her softly.
‘No, I haven’t.’
His dark brow arched with quicksilver interest. ‘And you’re not going to,’ he surmised accurately. ‘Do you want me to guess?’ His gaze roamed her face, heating her up as it went. ‘You do seem vaguely familiar. Should I know you?’
‘I would say so.’
‘Have we ever—’
‘No.’ She stumbled as his meaning became clear, causing him to bring her into direct contact with his warm body again. Heat that had been simmering away inside her exploded low in her pelvis.
Sensual amusement curved his lips as if he had her right where he wanted her.
Danger, her brain signalled once more, only stronger this time, with the added instruction to retreat. Only she couldn’t because she couldn’t remember why she should. Not with those intense blue eyes lingering on her lips and turning her mouth so dry she had to fight not to moisten it. Her heart felt like a trapped bird trying to break out of its cage, her whole body assailed with a kind of sweet lethargy she’d never felt before.
The drawn-out notes from a violin signalled the end of the musical score they’d been dancing to, and then someone on the end of a microphone announced that the silent auction was about to take place.
Clusters of murmuring guests started making their way towards one of the anterooms, and Alexa was startled to find that she hadn’t moved an inch out of the Prince’s arms. Scrambling to get her brain back on line, it took her a moment to realise that he had taken her hand and was leading her in the opposite direction to everyone else.
‘Where are you taking me?’ She pulled up, digging her spindly heels into the marble floor and gaining no traction at all.
‘Somewhere we can talk.’ The Prince’s enigmatic gaze swept her from head to toe. ‘I made a promise that I wouldn’t cause any scandals this evening and I’m very close to breaking it.’
He steered her through a set of open doors and along a wide corridor before she had the wherewithal to stop him once more. ‘Wait.’
Instantly coming to a halt, he looked back at her.
Alexa blinked as she tried to regulate her thoughts—and her breathing. At some point she would need to get him alone to go over her proposition with him but, with her body sending a whole host of mixed messages to her brain, she knew she wasn’t ready for that now. Plus, he wasn’t taking her anywhere for them to talk. She might be relatively inexperienced when it came to men, but she already knew that they could be unscrupulous when it came to getting what they wanted.
He looked down at her, amusement lighting his eyes as she gently tugged her hand free of his.
‘I’m not going to kiss you.’ The bold statement slipped out before it had fully formed in her mind and she knew she’d never felt as tempted to do exactly what she said she wouldn’t in her life before.
His sinful lips curved into that devilish smile and a blush stained her cheeks. ‘You don’t like kissing?’
Not particularly, but that wasn’t the point, was it? ‘I don’t kiss strangers.’
‘But I’m not the stranger here; you are,’ he pointed out. ‘And fortunately I have no such reservations.’
His tone was teasing but she sensed his hunger in the coiled strength of his body and the heat that radiated from every pore. The earlier image of a wolf about to pounce returned. This time it was definitely hungry and she was in its crosshairs. Rather than scare her as it probably should, it sent another thrill of sensation down her spine. She shuddered with unexpected anticipation and of course he noticed, his blue eyes darkening, his nostrils flaring slightly with his next breath.
Something exciting and wickedly enticing wound between them.
‘Come with me,’ he invited huskily. ‘I get the impression that your life could do with a little excitement in it.’
She wanted to deny it but his assessment was so accurate she couldn’t. Every hour of her day was usually accounted for with paperwork or meetings and she rarely took time out to just have fun. A roar of laughter from nearby guests broke into her reverie as if to drive the point home.
Those serious doubts she’d had about going ahead with her plan returned tenfold.
Prince Rafaele was much more lethally male and charismatic than she had anticipated, and the blatantly sexual way he looked at her awoke every one of her senses. She hadn’t expected him to have such an uncontrollable edge beneath the civility of his custom-made tuxedo but it was there—primal and dangerous and totally untameable.
‘Come,’ he coaxed once more, his hand raised towards her. ‘Take my hand.’
It was more command than invitation, the silken gravel of his tone making her forget that her future was on the line this weekend. Making her forget how much she had at stake: the ability to fulfil her royal duty to Berenia her way.
Against all rational thought, Alexa gave into temptation and placed her hand in his, allowing him to lead her through a solid door and into a beautiful, softly lit reading room. Glancing around, she noted that it was empty, the soft furnishings and gauzy curtains in the windows giving the room an odd sense of intimacy that was heightened when she heard the door click closed behind her.
‘I’m not sure this is wise,’ she said, knowing by the wild hammering of her heart that it definitely wasn’t.
He grinned with mischievous intent. ‘Probably not.’
Completely absorbed by the animal grace of his stride as he pushed away from the door and came towards her, Alexa was unprepared for him to invade her personal space and bumped the low table behind her as she unconsciously retreated.
Fortunately, he caught her around the waist, his fingertips spanning her hipbones with blatant possession.
‘Your Highness!’ Alexa exclaimed on a breathless rush, her mind as unbalanced as her body. ‘I told you I’m not—’
‘Kissing me. I know.’ His head lowered to hers, the warmth of his lips ghosting across the line of her jaw as he inhaled her scent deep into his lungs.
A shiver of awareness bolted down Alexa’s spine, turning her knees to water. Her hands flattened against his hard chest as if to hold herself steady, her senses logging the hard heat of his body and the strong beat of his heart through the thick fabric of his jacket.
Despite her four-inch heels, their height difference put her only at eye level with his chiselled mouth and she couldn’t look away, her fingers curling of their own accord into his dinner jacket.
The prince’s hands firmed on her hips. ‘You’ve got exactly three seconds to step out of my arms before I kiss you properly.’
His tone was low and husky with need and Alexa flushed as an answering need flooded her lower body with silken heat. Completely out of her depth, her knees almost too weak to hold her upright, she leant against him in a move that perfectly signalled her desires to a man well versed in reading the play.
‘I’m pretty sure that’s five,’ he murmured, his head bending as his mouth found hers. This kiss was firm, warm, his lips capturing hers with consummate skill and drawing a response from her she didn’t even know she had in her to give.
When she didn’t resist a soft groan left his mouth and one of his hands rose to cup the nape of her neck, his body moulding to hers as he took control of her very will.
Alexa knew she shouldn’t be doing this but she couldn’t seem to organise her thoughts when the desire to taste him was so strong. The prince’s heat and scent surrounded her and soaked into her, his mouth driving out any thought of resisting.
‘That’s it, sweetheart,’ he whispered, ‘open for me.’
Having never been kissed with such carnal expertise, Alexa felt a rush of burning heat as his tongue entered her mouth and licked at her own. The unexpected eroticism of the move made her hands grip his shoulders, her body arching towards his, seeking more. Craving more.
The sensations were so wickedly enticing that when his fingers curved around one of her breasts she moaned, no longer concerned with what she was here to do. This was all that mattered. This man’s mouth fused with hers, his hands caressing her all over and making her burn.
She slid her fingers into his hair, tugging him closer, and he groaned again, his hands moving lower to cup her bottom and bring her in closer against his body, his callused palms snagging on the tiny crystals covering her dress.
‘You taste like honey and nectar,’ he murmured, his lips trailing a heated line along her jaw towards her ear.
‘You taste like heat and mint,’ she panted, her neck arching to accommodate his lips, her nipples painfully tight against the fabric of her dress.
He laughed huskily as if she delighted him. It was quite the aphrodisiac after her previous sexual encounter had obliterated her burgeoning self-confidence.
‘Come upstairs with me.’ The Prince’s kisses continued down her neck and she felt him shudder as he gently bit down on the tendons that joined her shoulder. ‘I can’t take you here; we’ll get caught.’
Alexa didn’t know which part of that statement permeated her stunned senses more, but suddenly her hands were firm on the hard balls of his biceps as she pushed him back. Memories of her teenage mistake tumbled into the space between them, tripping up her thoughts as she fought to draw oxygen into her lungs and clear the haze from her brain. ‘We can’t… I’m not… Let me go!’
As soon as the words were out he released her, his chest heaving like bellows as his breath rasped in and out of his lungs.
His dark hair was in disarray around his shoulders and she realised with a mortified groan that her fingers must have done that.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘What’s wrong?’ Her eyes widened at his ridiculous question. ‘We nearly… I just… I didn’t come in here for that.’
